Last Escape of Billy the Kid one of the only true folk pageants left in America

Nestled between Hondo and Capitan on Highway 380, this weekend the historic town of Lincoln will once again play host to Old Lincoln Days — three days of reenactments, living history demonstrations, food, arts and crafts, music and even a 19th century fashion show.

Celebrated the first full weekend in August since 1939, with the exception of two years during World War II, Old Lincoln Days celebrates the history and folklore that have made the town the most widely visited state monument in New Mexico. It is part of a community frozen in time — the 1870s and 1880s.

This year will mark the 74th anniversary of the festival that began as a reenactment of the Last Escape of Billy the Kid. Kent McInnes, president of the Lincoln Pageant Festivals Corp., has been participating for the last 37 years.

The sights and scenes of previous Old Lincoln Days. (File poto)

"I started when I was a little kid," McInnes said. "I've done everything from play a kid, Sheriff Peppin, Olinger, been a voice, a director and run sound. The artist Peter Hurd played the first Billy the Kid in the very first pageant right in the middle of the street. It happened right in front of the courthouse. It was such a big hit and drew so many people, that they decided to do it every year and make it a year celebration."

In 1950, the pageant house was built — a movie type set where the reenactment takes place.

"It starts with the killing of John Tunstall and goes through the Kid's last escape," McInnes said. "The neat thing about it is there are about six or seven scenes with live horses and guns with blanks. The actors act it out and the lines are done in a sound booth."

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McInnes said that back in the 1940s folk pageants were in vogue.

"Used to be everyone had folk pageants and the Last Escape of Billy the Kid was Lincoln's. In the 1980s, folks decided to bring in extra things like living history demonstrations and it evolved into Old Lincoln Days instead of just a pageant each night. The headliner is still the Last Escape of Billy the Kid. This is one of the only still living, true folk pageants in America."

File poto
The sights and scenes of previous Old Lincoln Days.

It takes more than 80 people to pull together the pageant, McInnes said. Money collected from each year's pageant goes to fund the following year's event.

"Whenever you're dealing with the public, insurance is high," McInnes said. "Throw in guns and horses and it gets really high. Anything additional goes to pay for blanks for the guns and for those people who bring their donkeys, horses, wagons, and steers, we feed the animals for the week. Whatever is left over goes directly into the grounds. A 64-year-old set requires a lot of attention."

Lincoln still resembles the community it was in 1878 following the Lincoln County War. Buildings have been preserved and restored, including the courthouse where Billy the Kid made his famous escape. It is now operated by the New Mexico State Monuments, a division of the Museum of New Mexico that also owns other historic buildings in Lincoln.

File poto
The sights and scenes of previous Old Lincoln Days.

About 150 people live in this 5,700-foot-high community. Four cultures have influenced Lincoln — Indian, Spanish, Anglo and Black. Apache Indians were the original inhabitants of the area. The Torreon, a rock fort tower, where settlers hid during Indian raids, still stands in the center of town.

Anglo cattlemen, one of whom was cattle baron John Chisum, began arriving from Texas to take advantage of the growing market for beef. Other merchants like John Tunstall from England with his partner Alexander McSween, L. G. Murphy and James Dolan opened businesses. When Tunstall was murdered near Lincoln that incident touched off the Lincoln County War, a war characterized as a range war and a blood war. Others say it was a fight between business competitors mixed with politics.

The town postmark reads "Billy the Kid Station" because it is known as the Heart of Billy the Kid Country. Volumes upon volumes have been written about the Kid and the Lincoln County War.

Every year more than 2,500 visitors come to experience the lore of Old Lincoln Days. Next year will mark the 75th year of the celebration, and McInnes said organizers are already working to make it special, hoping to attract big name musicians, actors, authors and historians for the mile marker celebration.

As for this year, McInnes adds: "I encourage everyone to come whether there's rain or not. Don't let it scare you away. Bring an umbrella, but know that the rain doesn't usually last. Some of the most beautiful nights we've had have been after a good rain."

The Last Escape of Billy the Kid is held three times throughout the weekend. Living demonstrations by blacksmiths, spinners and weavers, gunfights, a parade and an old time medicine show are among the weekend's offerings of living history. The museums are steeped in relics, photos and stories of the past. Relive the days of the wild west this weekend and experience the adventure and excitement of one of the country's most notorious outlaws and bloody wars on a street once known as "the most dangerous street in America."